Method for enabling the use of an elevator system by disabled persons using position changes, and an elevator system

Abstract

A method for enabling the use of an elevator system by disabled persons includes detecting at least one position change of a user using at least one sensor, said position change being in the form of at least one signal and at least one reference signal. The signal is then compared to the reference signal. At lease one signal status change is generated when at least one predefined comparison result is fulfilled. For the generated signal state change, the elevator system is at least partially brought to an operating mode enabling the use thereof by disabled persons.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An elevator operation method, comprising:
 detecting, using a sensor, a position change by an elevator user, the detecting being based on first and second detected signals; 
 comparing the detected position change with one or more predefined position changes; and 
 as a result of the comparison, placing an elevator call input device into a handicapped user mode. 
 
     
     
       2. The elevator operation method of  claim 1 , wherein the first or second detected signal is detected when the user enters a detection range of the sensor or when the user leaves the detection range of the sensor. 
     
     
       3. The elevator operation method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second detected signals are detected at the elevator call input device. 
     
     
       4. The elevator operation method of  claim 1 , wherein the detected position change indicates at least one handicapped aid is used by the user. 
     
     
       5. The elevator operation method of  claim 1 , wherein the detected position change indicates that at least one personal protection facility is used by the user. 
     
     
       6. The elevator operation method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a destination call control signal. 
     
     
       7. The elevator operation method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a destination call from the user using the elevator call input device; and 
 placing the elevator call input device out of the handicapped user mode. 
 
     
     
       8. The elevator operation method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a further position change by the user; and 
 as a result of the further position change, outputting one or more functional descriptors using the elevator call input device. 
 
     
     
       9. An elevator installation comprising:
 an elevator cabin; 
 at least one sensor configured to detect a passenger outside of the elevator cabin; 
 an elevator call input device, wherein the elevator call input device is configured to be placed into a handicapped user mode based at least in part on passenger movement detected by the at least one sensor. 
 
     
     
       10. The elevator installation of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one sensor has a range of about one meter. 
     
     
       11. The elevator installation of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one sensor has a range of about ten meters. 
     
     
       12. The elevator installation of  claim 9 , wherein the user movement comprises a movement of an appendage of the passenger. 
     
     
       13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having encoded thereon instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:
 detecting, using a sensor, a movement by an elevator user; 
 comparing the detected movement with one or more predefined movements; and 
 as a result of the comparison, placing an elevator call input device into a disabled user mode. 
 
     
     
       14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor detects the movement of a card held by the elevator user. 
     
     
       15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 13 , wherein the movement comprises a gesture. 
     
     
       16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor is positioned on the elevator call input device. 
     
     
       17. An elevator system component comprising:
 a processor; 
 an input/output unit coupled to the processor; and 
 one or more computer-readable media coupled to the processor, wherein the one or more computer-readable media store instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, detect, using received sensor data, at least one position change by an elevator user, and as a result of the detecting, place the elevator system component into a handicapped user mode. 
 
     
     
       18. The elevator system component of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to detect a destination call based at least in part on a further detected position change by the elevator user. 
     
     
       19. The elevator system component of  claim 17 , wherein the input/output unit comprises a display, and wherein the instructions further cause the processor to display one or more functional descriptors on the display. 
     
     
       20. The elevator system component of  claim 17 , wherein the detected at least one position change is detected relative to a position of the elevator system component. 
     
     
       21. An elevator operation method, comprising:
 detecting, using a sensor, a position change by an elevator user, the detecting being based on first and second detected signals; 
 comparing the detected position change received from the sensor, with one or more predefined position changes; and 
 as a result of the comparison, changing a mode of the elevator call input device into a handicapped user mode and transmitting, by the elevator call input device, a signal state change to at least one of an elevator controller or destination controller. 
 
     
     
       22. The elevator operation method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving a destination call from the user using the elevator call input device; and 
 changing the mode of the elevator call input device out of the handicapped user mode. 
 
     
     
       23. The elevator operation method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 detecting a further position change by the user; and 
 as a result of the further position change, outputting one or more functional descriptors using the elevator call input device. 
 
     
     
       24. The elevator operation method of  claim 21 , wherein said placing step further comprises placing the elevator call input device into the handicapped user mode comprising at least one option for selection or display to the elevator user relating to a handicap characteristic of the elevator user. 
     
     
       25. The elevator operation method of  claim 1 , wherein said placing step further comprises placing the elevator call input device into the handicapped user mode comprising at least one option for selection or display to the elevator user in addition to or instead of a user selection of a floor option. 
     
     
       26. The elevator operation method of  claim 1 , wherein said placing step further comprises placing the elevator call input device into the handicapped user mode comprising a plurality of options presented to the elevator user responsive to said comparing. 
     
     
       27. The elevator operation method of  claim 1 , wherein said placing step further comprises placing the elevator call input device into the handicapped user mode comprising at least one option for selection or display to the elevator user relating to a handicap characteristic of the elevator user.